China’s mega-dam project raises alarm

Beijing’s plan to build the world’s largest hydropower facility is raising concerns about displacement of communities in Tibet and environmental impacts downstream in India and Bangladesh


MEDOG DAM PROJECT
To be built inYarlung Tsangpo river, could generate 60 gigawatts of electricity, nearly triple that of Three Gorges Dam in central China – world’s biggest

Four to six 20km-long tunnels to be drilled through Namcha Barwa mountain to divert river

Cost (est.): $137bn

Yarlung Tsangpo river in Medog County, Tibet

Yarlung Tsangpo: Tibet’s longest river, called Brahmaputra in India before turning into Jamuna in Bangladesh

Great Bend: River runs through Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon – world’s deepest canyon

Medog dam site

Disputed border
TIBET AUTONOMOUS REGION
BANGLADESH
ARUNACHAL PRADESH
Largely claimed by China
ASSAM
INDIA
CHINA
Lhasa
BHUTAN
NEPAL
MYANMAR
Bay of Bengal
SUMP

India fears dam could cause floods and water scarcity, while giving China upper hand in any possible military stand-off

Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP): India planning to build 11-gigawatt dam to counteract impact of Chinese project

200km
125 miles

Sources: Reuters, BBC, OpenStreetMap
Picture: Newscom
© GRAPHIC NEWS